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Cyclones blow through RedHawks

Iowa State's Tyson Smith, front left, and Luke Clemens celebrate their win over Miami of Ohio after the Independence bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana on Tuesday. Iowa defeated Miami of Ohio 17-13. PHOTO: AP

Stevie Hicks and quarterback Bret Meyer each had more than 100 yards in a revived running game that carried the Iowa State Cyclones to a 17-13 victory over the Miami of Ohio RedHawks in the Independence Bowl on Tuesday.

Meyer's weaving 23-yard run set up the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and Iowa State (7-5) held on to win a bowl game for just the second time and spoil Terry Hoeppner's final game as Miami's coach. Hoeppner was named Indiana's coach earlier this month. Miami athletic director Brad Bates told the team just before the game that offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery would succeed Hoeppner.

If the timing of that announcement was meant to inspire the RedHawks (8-5), it didn't do so right away. Miami fell behind 10-0 before rallying to a 13-10 lead in the third quarter. But the Cyclones, who were averaging just 128 yards a game rushing, kept pounding away at the Miami defensive front and finally regained the lead on Ryan Kock's 1-yard plunge with 13:02 left. Ellis Hobbs sealed the victory by intercepting Josh Betts in the final minute.

Hicks carried 27 times for 159 yards and scored on a 4-yard option pitch from Meyer, who had 122 yards on 23 carries. Meyer also was 10-of-28 for 114 yards passing.

It was the first time in the 29-year history of the Independence Bowl that two players on the same team rushed for more than 100 yards. The Cyclones finished with 295 yards on the ground, a school record for a bowl game.

Betts kept Miami moving at times, but once Iowa State got its running game revved up, the RedHawks couldn't keep the Cyclones off the field.

Betts' 28-yard touchdown pass to Luke Clemens with 25 seconds left in the first half cut the lead to 10-7 and the RedHawks carried that momentum into the first possession of the second half, driving 80 yards in 11 plays to take the lead on Mike Smith's 2-yard run.

Betts finished 20-of-44 for 240 yards and the one interception.

Miami's Michael Larkin caught two passes to extend his NCAA record to 50 straight games with a reception.

Fresno St. 37, No. 18 Virginia 34

Paul Pinegar threw five touchdown passes, including the game-winning 25-yard strike to Stephen Spach in overtime, as Fresno State University rallied to beat No. 18 Virginia 37-34 in the MPC Computers Bowl on Monday.

Pinegar completed 23 of 36 passes for 235 yards without an interception. He helped the Bulldogs (9-3) erase a 21-7 second-quarter deficit and notch another win against a big-name team. His five touchdown passes were a record for the American college football game, formerly known as the Humanitarian Bowl.

Virginia got the first possession of overtime, taking a 34-31 lead on a 26-yard field goal by Connor Hughes.

Pinegar replied by completing a pass inside the 5 to Spach, who fought off a pair of would-be tacklers and dropped into the end zone. The Bulldogs stormed off the sideline in celebration while the Cavaliers were left dazed.

Virginia (8-4) took the lead when Wali Lundy followed his blockers on a 20-yard TD run that put the Cavaliers ahead 31-24 with 6:20 remaining.

But Pinegar led Fresno State on an 83-yard scoring drive, turning to the ground game to move Fresno State into position to tie it.

The Bulldogs worked the ball across midfield, then Wendell Mathis ran 22 yards to Virginia's 25 and Bryson Sumlin reached the 15 on a 6-yard burst for a first down that briefly stopped the clock with 1:26 to go.

On third-and-6 at the 10, Pinegar threaded a 7-yard pass into double coverage to tight end Duncan Reid, then spiked the ball to stop the clock at 28 seconds.

On fourth down, Pinegar rolled right and connected with Jaron Fairman in the corner of the end zone with 11 seconds on the clock. Brent Vinsintainer added the PAT kick, and it was tied at 31.

Connecticut 39, Toledo 10

In Detroit, the University of Connecticut cruised to a 39-10 win over Toledo in the Motor City Bowl in the Huskies' first bowl appearance since becoming a full Division I-A team, the top level of US college football, three years ago.

The Huskies (8-4) dominated in every phase of the game. Bowl MVP Dan Orlovsky threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Nuzie kicked a career-best four field goals.

The UConn defense held the Rockets (9-4) to just 78 yards on the ground. Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who broke his throwing hand in the Mid-American Conference championship on Dec. 2, struggled in the first half. He scored the Rockets only TD on a one-yard run. Backup quarterback Marques Council played the second half, throwing for 160 yards with two interceptions.

The Huskies' special teams, led by Nuzie, also shone in their bowl debut. Larry Taylor ran back a 68-yard punt for a score in the first quarter, his first of the year.

The Huskies began their upgrade from Division I-AA six years ago when the school hired coach Randy Edsall. They joined the Big East this season, finishing 3-3 in the league. Their 23-13 run over the past three years is the best in school history over a three-year span.

Orlovsky completed 20 of 41 passes before he was taken out in the closing seconds to a standing ovation from the thousands of UConn fans, who have cheered the school's championship basketball teams over the years.

Council completed 16 of 28 passes for the MAC champs. Gradkowski was 6-of-12 for 43 yards.
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